My picks:

DeRozan needs to go because I feel he'll never be the guy they need at that spot but he will have value around the league due to age, and raw abilities.

I'm on the fence with Lowry, slightly leaning to him being outed but only if they replace him with a solid PG and get some decent value back. If he stays I won't be heart broken because I feel there is still some potential there.

Personnally, I'd like to roll into next season with our current starters plus Ross and maybe Acy. I think that team with a couple of extras and a good system would be fun to watch, and could certainly make the playoffs.

However, realistically with a new GM coming in nobody on the roster is safe. And in order to facilitate the rebuilding process this offseason I think our most valuable assets (Jv, Amir, DD, Ross) may have to be included in any trades that bring back expiring contracts and/or draft picks. Now, if those guys are to be moved, I'd prefer to see some talent come back rather than just draft picks because, well, drafting is very difficult and definitely requires some luck. If you could turn those four into three or four first rounders, what are the chances you will actually draft 3 or 4 guys that are as good or have the potential that they have? It would be very difficult to come across a JV. Even Amir, although maybe not of starting caliber (although I disagree), would be hard to replace in a draft. DD and Ross may be more replaceable via draft, but those guys do have some talent and potential between them that would be difficult to find in the draft. Now, I know 2014 is loaded, but nonetheless, draft picks are usually hit or miss, and so much has to happen for a rookie to succeed in any particular situation.

I also think there are serious limitations to moving Bargs, Gay, and Fields due to their respective contracts. If they were expiring, of course there would be no problem. All indications point that Bargs will be gone, but that was out of BC's mouth and he no longer will make that decision. Will a new GM be able to swing a Bargs deal? Will he even want too?

It should be a very interesting offseason for Raps fans. We have movable pieces, but I can't see sweeping changes happening this offseason. Yet, it would be hard to envision a new GM rolling with BC's roster for very long, especially considering Lieweke's disapproval of BC's moves and approach.

Ok, let's say they move DD. What exactly can they get for him?? and who's going to start at the 2 for the Raptors?

He's only 23 years old, he's averaged around 17PPG in seasons after his rookie year. He gets to the line five times per game, shoots a decent FG%, has no long range game to speak of but has the potential to rebound the ball and become a good defender. He also has a positive impact when you look at assists to turnovers.

He should be viewed as a player with a lot of upside. I think he should focus on being a slasher first and foremost. Sort of a Corey Maggette(in his prime, 2004-2009) who plays defense.

What is he worth? Hard to say because guys like him don't usually get traded at this stage so there's not much to compare to.

Oklahoma dealt Ray Allen and Glen Davis for Jeff Green in 2007. Green and DeRozan are similar in the fact that they're both tweeners but I have to think Green's perceived value in 2007 is higher than DeRozan's right now... I could see some team dealing an impact thirty something plus a prospect for him though. That's not what I want to see and that's not what I think will happen though. I think he will stick here for a little longer and then something happens once things are more clear about his career. Of course if the findings are negative they'll have lost some value in him but there are no guarantees and everything is a risk.

You can just click on the link next to your name in the quoted reply (the two little triangles pointing to the right in blue). That takes you to the first post in the thread. The quote is the last line from the snippet you took from the article you referenced.

You can just click on the link next to your name in the quoted reply (the two little triangles pointing to the right in blue). That takes you to the first post in the thread. The quote is the last line from the snippet you took from the article you referenced.

Figure out if the team can move forward with Rudy Gay or DeMar DeRozan

There's no reason to move forward with a duo of wings that make nearly $30 million next season (eating into over 50% of the teams salary cap) when neither player can consistently stick a perimeter shot or is willing to get at it on the defensive end.

In fact, it's possible that neither player will be in training camp if Ujiri can unload Gay's albatross of a contract.

You can easily argue that Gay is one of the five best players to ever suit up for Toronto so having him stick around for the next two seasons wouldn't be horrible.

DeRozan has a lot of flaws, but he's still valued highly around the NBA. With him starting a new four-year contract next season it's more likely that DeRozan gets dealt if either player is moved.

Many, myself included, have looked at the possibility of one or the other of DeRozan or Gay being gone next season. Do you think there is a chance both could be gone?

If Ujiri is talking serious blow up then yes start building with new talent today! JV Ross Amir and whatever good pieces are in this draft, officially starting a new Era for the team as its really all new personnel. Its a bold move thove really bold shedding one is ok but both? Dam!

If Ujiri is talking serious blow up then yes start building with new talent today! JV Ross Amir and whatever good pieces are in this draft, officially starting a new Era for the team as its really all new personnel. Its a bold move thove really bold shedding one is ok but both? Dam!

IM SO EXCITED FOR DRAFT NIGHT!!!!

Wow. Could the fan base take a gutting like losing both DD and Gay? They still have to sell tickets.

I'm looking at a slow rebuild, so I voted to trade (or try to trade) Bargs, DD, Amir, Lowry, Gay, Fields. Keeping JV, TR, Acy, Gay.
Reasoning:
Bargs: is an obvious choice; he needs to go. However, we'll need to either take back a bad contract (harrington?) or include 1 of our other players (DD, Amir) to get a deal done.
DD: has value around the league, is controlled long term and shouldn't have to waste his talents on this lottery team for the next 2-3 yrs.
Lowry: meh. I'd rather have the pick back.
Gay: hard to trade due to the high value of his contract, but his presence here would make the team too good to rebuild properly.
Amir: I don't want to trade, b/c of his skill set, effort and reasonable contract, but for all those reasons he has value around the league. Ppl laughed when BC extended him, but I think he's proven the haters wrong these last 2 seasons. We could get a young player, or maybe even a couple of picks for him. (from a playoff team)
Fields: tough to trade b/c of his contract, injury and lacklustre play, but no sense in him hanging around if we're in Tank City. Maybe a contender will take him for a 2nd rounder or a rack of balls.

Amir: I don't want to trade, b/c of his skill set, effort and reasonable contract, but for all those reasons he has value around the league. Ppl laughed when BC extended him, but I think he's proven the haters wrong these last 2 seasons. We could get a young player, or maybe even a couple of picks for him. (from a playoff team)

Amir is 25, so you'd trade Amir to get Amir 2.0 ? now you're just trading for the sake of trading.

We can't be the only ones that realize that he works hard, and constantly improves every season. Yes, he will never be an all-star, but it's not like we necessarily need an all-star.

Need somebody that can do the intangibles, and put the ball in the hoop when required. IE, Iggy, I'm really liking that trade idea, though, not sure if Denver would bite on it.

people wont worry about his talent, theyll worry about his contract. you can trade demar to a lower bracket team that wont care about his cap space, but then raptors would have to worry about getting third rate players back from those teams.

people wont worry about his talent, theyll worry about his contract. you can trade demar to a lower bracket team that wont care about his cap space, but then raptors would have to worry about getting third rate players back from those teams.

Fair enough.

I don't know the salary numbers too well, but, is his contract really that ludicrous that nobody would be interested in it? I mean he's overpaid, but is it really by that much?

I personally do not want to see JV, Amir, Rudy, and Acy to go. Otherwise, everyone is trade bait/pieces for trades. Ross, Bargnani, DeRozan, and Lowry become the biggest assets to acquire returning talent, picks, prospects, expiring deals. Quite frankly, I prefer to see little expiring deals and more young players on rookie contracts because the players are likely pieces of shit that have been obviously overpaid and under-performing i.e. Bargnani - regardless of his talent.

PG: ---
SG: ---
SF: Gay
PF: ---, Amir, Acy
C: Valanciunas

Build around that, and I feel this team could be able to compete for a title. Despite what you think of Gay (overpaid, inefficient, inconsistent, etc), he's one of those second tier starts, and also in that category of "hard to find" players. Superstars are a needle in a haystack, second tier stars are cheese curds in cheep poutine - very few. He is a guy that can be used as a building block, and obviously a key player, and JV will most definitely develop into an all-star calibre big, maybe not a superstar, but definitely a very, very good player.